Silver And Platinum
by Selphie Leonhart
Summary: Squall and the rest of the SeeD's are in Deling City to see Rinoa's father after he summoned her there. Their first night is spent in the Galbadia Hotel, with an unlimited tab at the bar...
1. Default Chapter Title

Silver and Platinum 

By Selphie Leonhart   
  
  
  


Disclaimer: All characters used in this story are the property of Squaresoft and are used without their permission. Please do not put this story on any other website without my permission.   
  


Rinoa sang softly to herself as she locked the door to her room at the Galbadia Hotel. It was paid for by her father, and she was going to enjoy every penny of it. Happily, she kicked off her expensive suede boots and threw herself on the soft bed, sighing in pleasure. She hated Deling City, it reminded her of her father, but she had to come here sometimes, now she was involved with SeeD, and in particular, with Squall. 

Squall, she thought with a smile. He was so gorgeous. And best of all, he was a SeeD. He could protect her. Infact, he was her paid body guard right now, she thought, grinning. Her contract with Garden still hadn't expired, and now the Sorceress was such a threat, they had no time for the liberation of Timber. She sat up on the bed, her long hair falling in a silken cascade over her shoulders. She stood up and walked bare foot over to the bathroom, enjoying the feel of the thick cream coloured carpet. 

She leant over the ornate shell shaped bath tub, turning on the gold faucets, smiling as she saw the steaming water rush out. She reached up to her neck, pushing back the dark strands of hair as she undid the latch of her necklace. She took it off and put it on the shelf by the sink, gazing at the dull metal platinum ring, and the much smaller, lighter silver one, which in contrast shone brightly. A metaphor for her and Squall, she thought, touching the cold metal bands. He was strength,hidden value, she was lighter, less intense. They made a good combination. 

Just then she heard a knock on the door. She sighed, mildly annoyed, but went to answer the door. Anyway, she thought to herself, if it was Squall she could ask him to share the bath with her... 

Smiling at the thought, she opened the door. It was Irvine. "Hey beautiful," he said by way of greeting. "Hi." she said. He scratched his neck awkwardly. 

"So, um, you seen Squall recently?" he asked her, leaning against the door frame in a casual pose, which she supposed, he thought was sexy. 

"No, why?" she asked, a little impatiently. She could hear the water running in the other room. 

"He's downstairs. Getting a little drunk, I reckon.." said Irvine with a grin. "Zell's already way gone, looks like Squalls going the same way!" She rolled her eyes. 

"No way. You know what he's like," she deepened her voice in an impression of Squall. 

"We're SeeDs, not kids, we must act accordingly. No fun until after eliminating the sorceress, liberating Timber, and writing full reports." Irvine laughed at her. She did sound incredibly like him. "Sorry to disturb you Rinoa, but come down when you feel like it. It's getting quite amusing. Squall's already had to restrain Zell twice. Might give you an opportunity to throw yourself on top of him..." She slapped him lightly on the arm in mock anger. 

"It's a good thing you're eight and a half inches taller than me, or I'd scratch your eyes out for that remark." she joked. He turned away from her with a little wave as she shut the door. 

"Oh..." she groaned as she ran to the bathroom. The shell-shaped bath was almost overflowing. She quickly turned the taps off and tied her hair back to stop it from getting wet. She finished undressing and stepped into the bath, smiling. It wasn't often she had had the chance to relax on her journey with the SeeDs. They usually washed in streams or lakes, or when they were lucky enough to get to a town, she usually only had time for a quick shower. 

This time was different. The reason they were in Deling City was because she had been called there by her father. Usually she would ignore any order from him, but this time he had almost pleaded with her, a very rare thing for the hardened military officer to do. 

She frowned as she thought of her father. Often when she was travelling, they would sleep outdoors. She remembered the first time, about a week after leaving Timber, they had had to camp in the Kashkabald Desert. They were too far from any town, and it was getting dark. She remembered being utterly exhausted, and almost begging Squall to stop. They had eventually, she lying against a flat rock, her aching muscles almost making her cry, whilst Selphie and Quistis helped build a fire and put up the tents. She was amazed at how much stamina they had, Selphie and Quistis were softly laughing and joking while they worked, not seeming tired in the least. Squall was talking to Zell, and she remembered watching his face in the flickering light, it made his eyes shine. The two men had gone to find some food, as they had run out of their rations the day before. Irvine was lying next to her, on the pretext of protecting the women. 

When she lay in her tent that night, lying between Quistis and Selphie for warmth, she felt angry, thinking of her father with his huge mansion, while she slept in the freezing cold. She didn't know how her SeeD friends did it, walking fast all day, fighting countless battles, then sleeping in the freezing cold. She saw Selphie shivering with the cold, the thin blanket they were sharing hardly seemed to make a difference... 

Shaking herself out of her memories, Rinoa shivered herself as she realised the water had gone cold. How long have I been lying here? She wondered, lifting herself out of the lukewarm water. She wrapped the huge white towel around her tightly and walked through to the luxury bedroom she had been given. It happened to be the Presidential Suite, and must have cost her father more than 50,000 gil. Her friends had all been given luxury rooms also, all with connecting doors. Her father enjoyed showing off how much money he had,she thought bitterly. She had never told Squall, but the amount she had paid Garden was only 3000 gil. It was a stupid amount, only a formality to balance out the forms. But Squall didn't know he was being hired for only an sixth of his own salary. 

She sighed, and switched on the widescreen TV, which showed a news program discussing the apparent disappearence of Sorceress Edea. It showed TV footage of the battle she Irvine and Squall had fought against Seifer and the Sorceress, which brought back bad memories. Deciding to join her friends at the bar, she put on a cream coloured satin dress, similar to the one she had worn at the SeeD party, except this one was strapless, and a little shorter. Brushing her hair, she put a little make-up on and went downstairs, locking her room behind her.   
  


Down in the bar, Irvine was smirking at Zell as he poured out his heart to Squall, who obviously wasn't listening. Zell was drinking beer out of a bottle, and from the amount of empty ones on the table, he had drunk a lot of them. Irvine was laughing quietly as Zell rambled on to Squall about all his worries and which girls he liked at Garden. Among these he listed Quistis, whom he said he had had a crush on for years. Squall was looking the other way, looking half asleep as he ignored Zell. 

Selphie was sitting at a nearby table with Quistis, and they were laughing loudly at something. Selphie, who was exuberant without alcohol, was completely uninhibited with it. Her sweet laugh filled the air as she and Quistis joked over their friend's behavior. They were both drinking spirits now, having started off the night with white wine, had now moved onto vodka and mixers. Irvine smiled as he saw Selphie throw back her head to take another shot of vodka, laughing when he saw the disgusted look on her face afterwards. 

Looking up, he saw Rinoa decending the stairs. He wolf whistled loudly at her, smiling when he saw the blush rising to her cheeks. She looked stunning. This ought to wake Squall up...he thought with a smirk, nudging his companion. 

"Hey, there's Rinoa," he said, nodding in her direction. Squall looked up as the smiling girl walked over to them. His mouth opened slightly as he took her in. She really looked great tonight, he thought, watching the way she moved in the satin dress and high heeled cream shoes. Really nice.... 

Irvine's laugh stirred him out of his fantasising. He realised his mouth was still open, and shut it to stop himself saying something rude to Irvine. Rinoa waved at them, then sat down at the table with Quistis and Selphie. They were really having a good time, thought Squall, watching the green eyed brunette and the blond taking two more shots, and encouraging Rinoa to do the same. She shook her head, instead calling the waitress over to order wine for herself. Selphie jumped in ordering three vodka's and cokes, and Rinoa didn't stop her, instead smiling at Selphie's flushed face. 

"So Quisty, which one is it?" Selphie asked Quistis, who was smiling happily. 

"I'm not going to tell you!" Quistis replied, her speech slurred. Selphie moaned in dissapointment. 

"What's that?" asked Rinoa. Selphie turned to her with a smile. 

"Well, Quistis had a one night stand with on of the other instructors from Garden last Christmas. She won't tell me which." Rinoa gasped and turned to Quistis. 

"You didn't! Which one!" she asked, shocked. Quistis smiled. 

"I'm not telling. It would be...unproffessional." she said with a smug smile. Rinoa took a gulp of her wine, and turned back to Selphie. 

"Do you know who it is?" she asked excitedly. Selphie grinned. 

"I've got an idea..." she said, whispering to Rinoa who she thought it was. Rinoa opened her eyes wide. 

"Uh, no, I've seen him, he's old...and so cruel..." she said. Selphie shrugged. 

"Well, you know Quistis. She likes the tall, cold, scarred type." 

"Shut up Selphie..." growled Quistis. Rinoa just smiled. 

"So do I," she said, gazing to the other table. 

"So, then I asked her why she had gone to my house and spoken to my mother, and she just looked at me and said, 'Zell, you know how....." Squall managed to shut out Zell's voice as he retold the same story for the third time. Squall himself was beginning to feel a little lightheaded. He was gazing at Rinoa, watching the way she moved her head, her neck, letting his eyes drift over her body, which was partially obscured by Selphie. He smiled at her as she looked over, and she seemed surprised. She tilted her head, asking him with her eyes if he wanted to come over. He smiled and shook his head, giving a little nod in the direction of Zell, who was telling them just how much he missed his mother.   
  


Rinoa shrugged, and turned back to her friends. Quistis had just slapped Selphie playfully for revealing the correct identity of her one night stand, and Selphie was laughing hysterically over the image of Quistis with the thirty-something instructor. Rinoa joined in, because she had seen this instructor, and knew he thought he was God's gift to women.   
  


An hour later, and Rinoa was hitting the vodka hard. She had given up on wine after Selphie had spilt some right down the front of her dress, not getting the dress wet, but making Rinoa sit up sharply at the sensation of the icy cold liquid on her chest. Selphie and Quistis of course, laughed hysterically at this, thinking the look of shock on Rinoa's face was the funniest thing since Zell had announced to the bar that he 'missed his mummy.' 

Rinoa glanced over to Squall occasionally, noticing with a smile that he was now laughing easily with Irvine and Zell. He's definatly loosened up, she thought with a smile. Perhaps he'll make a move tonight, she hoped dreamily. He was wearing black jeans and a loose black t-shirt with a v-neck, which she thought made him look really sexy. He was wearing his platinum necklace, as usual, which shimmered in the low light of the bar. 

Quistis shook her out of her daydreams. "D'you want another drink?" she asked, her blue eyes sparkling. Rinoa nodded, feeling lightheaded. Quistis stood up shakily, and walked over to the bar.By now the waitress was avoiding their table, hoping to discourage them from ordering anything else. 

Selphie was sitting slouched in the comfortable chair, her eyes shut. " feel...ick... Ri....oa...uhhh." she slurred, blinking her big eyes a couple of times, before resting her head an Rinoa's shoulder. Rinoa sighed, and rubbed Selphie's arm sympathetically. Rinoa looked up as there was a shout of laughter from the boy's table, Squall's deep laugh drifting over to her. She smiled, she had only every heard him laugh bitterly, at a comment Seifer had made before, and then it had been a harsh sound, one she could hardly call a laugh, more like a growl. Moving over, she gently removed Selphie from her shoulder, smiling as the girl asked for another drink. "Quistis will bring you one," she assured her. 

Doing her sexiest walk (although it turned out to be more like a drunken stagger) she sashayed over to Squall and sat close beside him, crossing one leg over the other, ensuring that enough leg was visible to make him sit up straight. She smiled at him, and he smiled back, ignoring the rude noises Irvine and Zell were emitting, and the crude comments the taller one was making about the connecting doors in the hotel. Rinoa smiled at Irvine, kicking him hard under the table, making him wince. Rinoa knew how to treat men hwo annoyed her. 

"So, Squall," she whispered, her mouth close to his ear. "Having fun?" she asked. He smiled at her, turning his face so their lips were almost touching. 

"I am now." he whispered back. She put her hand on his waist, pulling him closer to her as she kissed him lightly on the lips, evoking a chorus of whoops and yells from Zell, Irvine, and now Selphie, who was sitting on Irvine's lap, wearing his hat. She drew back, grinning, leaving Squall with a slightly bemused look on his face. He moved a few centimetres away from her, taking a big gulp of his drink. She knew he wasn't as drunk as she was. The men had been drinking beer, it was only she Quistis and Selphie who had been drinking vodka, and lots of it. 

What the hell, she thought. It was all on her father's tab, so they should enjoy it. 

She closed the gap between her and Squall by sliding closer to him. She was so close she could smell the aftershave he was wearing, but by the look of his still-smooth cheeks, she guessed shaving wasn't a thing he had to do often. He turned his head to her, the smile all but gone and put his hand on her arm, pulling her closer. She smiled wickedly at him, and shut her eyes as he kissed her, this time with more feeling. She became suspicious when she realised she couldn't hear any shouts from the others, and broke away from the kiss, slightly breathless, and looked towards Selphie and Irvine. She giggled when she saw that they were in a tight embrace, kissing passionately, Irvine's hand riding up Selphie's thigh. Zell was staring at the interlocked couple with a look of shock on his face. She herself was shocked, not at Selphie and Irvine, but at Squall and herself. This was so absolutely out of character for both of them. But right now, she didn't care. 

Rinoa grinned, turning back to Squall, who was looking intently into her face. He moved towards her again, and she put a finger on his lips, pushing him back. 

"Let's go," she whispered, standing up from the table, and taking Squall's hand. She began to walk, but he stopped and spun her round to him, holding her tight, one arm slipped round her waist, the other holding her wrist. "Rinoa," he whispered, looking into her half shut eyes. "What are you doing?" he asked softly, not wishing for her to do something she might regret. 

"I'm taking you up to my room." she replied, giggling. He smiled at her wistfully. He was beginning to feel sober again, as his sense of responsibility kicked in. 

"Rinoa, I'm meant to be looking after you, not...." he trailed off as she put her hand on the back of her neck, pulling him towards her. She kissed him deeply, at the same time pulling him closer to her. She felt like this was a dream, she knew she was drunk, but she didn't really care. He pulled away from her, letting her go. 

"You're drunk," he reminded her gently. She turned and walked away from him, not entirely in a straight line. As she passed the table where she had been sitting earlier, she leant over to pick up her purse, which matched her dress, and was annoyed to find it was covered in a liquid. Probably vodka and coke, the thought, her head swimming. She took a deep breath, trying to regain her balance. She failed miserably and collapsed in the chair. 

Concerned, and feeling guilty, Squall sat beside her, his arm placed protectively around her shoulders. He was beginning to regret drinking so much, more than he ever had before. He of all people should be the responsible one. He still felt lightheaded and detached, and wasn't sure whether he would bother to fend off Rinoa's advances if she chose to try again. Putting his arm under her shoulders, he helped her to her feet, and helped her walk as she leaned heavily against him. 

He heard a muffled scream from the table where Irvine, Selphie, Zell, and Quistis were sitting, and turned his head to see Selphie lying on the floor, laughing hysterically, while Irvine knelt beside her, pretending to help her up, while all the time trying to put his hands where he shouldn't. 

Squall smirked despite himself. He didn't think Selphie would mind his groping in the state she was in now. She would probably encourage it. He had been surprised that Irvine was the only one who hadn't been drinking, but he saw why now. He turned his attention back to the wilting Rinoa, who had her head against his chest as they slowly walked up the stairs, and had her arm tightly around his waist. He suspected she wasn't as helpless as she was acting. 

When they reached the top of the stairs, she let go of him, and faced him. 

"Aren't they sweet?" Rinoa said sleepily, pointing to the four friends below. Quistis was half-lying in Zell's arms, he was holding her tightly against his chest as they talked quietly. Squall smiled. He knew those two would never be lovers, but they were close, and he was glad he didn't have to suffer Zell's incessant talk anymore. Selphie was sitting close to Irvine, whispering something in his ear as she put her arm across his chest, and rested it on his shoulder, gazing into his green eyes. He laughed at what she said, and nodded a goodbye to the couple on the stairs. 

"Come on, let's go," he said to Rinoa, helping her across the landing. She stood up straight as she walked past the reception desk, anxious not to appear drunk infront of the two receptionists, as they knew who she was, and who her father was. She groaned inwardly as she realised that by tommorow the Galbadia Sun's gossip column would be full of the tale of her being escorted to her room by a young man. Even though she had been in Timber for the past two years, people around here held her father in high regard, and any scandal involving her would be a reflection on him. 

"The hell with it..." she thought, giggling as she wondered whether thoughts could be slurred. Squall sighed as she attempted to walk without his help, smiling a little. The alcohol had certainly loosened him up, he hadn't smiled so much since...well, he had never smiled so much. But his sense of responsibility never left him, and his thoughts were now on the drunken Selphie and the sober Irvine, who he knew wouldn't have any second thoughts about taking advantage of the petite girl. He made a mental note to check on her once he got Rinoa back to her room. If she let him go. He had no idea she was so....that she liked him so much. 

They stood outside the door of the Presidential Suite. It was a gilded mahoghany door, which was almost as impressive as the interior of the room. Squall put his hand on Rinoa's arm and looked into her upturned face. "Are you going to be ok?" he asked. She nodded sleepily and put the key into the lock of her door. When she finally managed to find the keyhole, she opened the door and turned to Squall with a smile. "Bye," he said, turning away. She smiled wickedly, and grabbed his t-shirt, pulling him into the room after her and slamming the door behind him, ignoring his startled yelp as she nearly choked him.   
  


Downstairs, Zell was feeling depressed. First Squall and Rinoa had disappeared upstairs, and now Selphie and Irvine were acting like they were auditioning for an over 18 film. He did have a beautiful woman in his arms, but his interest in her was purely friendship. Quistis sighed, and shifted a little, her head resting on his chest. He had his arms folded across her stomach, pulling her against him. He admitted, they did look like a couple. Quistis looked up at him. "Shall we leave now?" These two are starting to offend me," she said, nodding in the direction of their friends, who were happily demonstating that Selphie had completely lost all sense of modesty and was now showing more than a few inches of her thigh to the rest of the people in the Galbadia Hotel bar. Not that there were that many there, it was after midnight, and there were only twelve or thirteen soldiers left, who were all too busy arguing to pay attention the the seventeen year olds. The bar staff, however, were taking an interest in the young couple, and were beginning to look concerned as to how lewd this was going to get. The Galbadia Hotel was a very expensive place, with a good reputation. 

Zell released Quistis from his arms and the couple stood up. The fatigue had caught up with Quistis, and the effects of the alcohol were beginning to sink in. She felt tired and heavy, as if she was made of lead. Arms around each other's waists, they walked slowly to their rooms. Quistis felt happy. Until now, she had never had any reassurance that she was 'one of them' that she was accepted as a friend, not as their supervisor, their chaperone. She enjoyed being with them, she had never had many friends her own age, none once she became an instructor. She had got over her attraction to Squall, she certainly loved him, but it was more of a protective love, a sisterly one. Not like Rinoa... 

She frowned as she thought of Rinoa. She had drunk more than Quistis (but definately no more than Selphie) and was revealing a side of herself Quistis had never seen. She was more confident, she had thrown herself at Squall (although he hadn't objected) and Quistis was worried she might do something she would regret in the morning. Then she felt guilty, knowing Squall, however drunk, would never let things get that far in the state she was in.   
  


Rinoa shoved the startled Squall onto the huge four-poster bed. His aqua eyes were wide with shock at her strength, and he didn't know how to react to the pushy girl. Before him, she kicked off her high heels and pulled the satin dress off over her head. For a few seconds, he lay there staring at Rinoa's semi-naked body, but then managed to tear his eyes away from the sight of more naked female flesh than he had ever seen and almost ran to the door. 

She quickly caught up with him, pinning him against the door. He felt out of breath, as if he had been running, and he didn't know exactly why he was running away. She was so beautiful, and she was standing there infront of him, in only a very revealing camisole and panties. He wanted to stay (god did he want to stay,) but he knew that she wasn't thinking clearly. He opened his mouth, trying to form a sentence, but found he couldn't. 

"Give up?" she asked quietly, her voice deeper than usual. He blinked slowly, and nodded almost imperceptibly. She smiled wickedly, and removed the satin camisole....   
  


"Umm, excuse me..." said the young waitress, looking incredibly nervous in front of the young couple. Selphie ignored her, instead kissing Irvine even more passionately. He in contrast, tried his best to get away, knowing there was trouble. He pushed Selphie away, and looked up at the waitress, who was shifting from foot to foot, anxiously. 

"Umm, could you please....somewhere else...?" she asked, staring at the ground. 

"Sorry," Irvine said, pulling the helpless Selphie to her feet. She looked like a sulky child, she had been enjoying the attention from him. She put her arm over his chest protectively, as if she thought the waitress might steal him from her. It was a ridiculous thought, Irvine was at least a foot taller than her. They left, Selphie leaning heavily on Irvine, unable to walk unaided. They reached Selphie's room, and Irvine put his hand in her pocket, trying to find her key. She didn't move, and glancing at her face, he saw she looked a little off colour. Not surprised, he leant away from her, knowing the colour of too much vodka when he saw it. Putting the small golden key into the door, he turned it and helped her into her room. He was surprised when he saw how elegant her room was, unlike his and Zell's, whose he had been into earlier. He guessed Rinoa's father didn't approve of her being friends with men (and considering last year she had a thing for Seifer, he wasn't surprised. 

"Selphie, are you going to be sick?" he asked gently. She mumbled something he didn't hear. Not wanting to get too close to her face, he went to the bathroom, and soaked a cloth in water (noticing again how her room had a bath and his hadn't) he went back to her, and pressed the dripping cloth against her cheeks. She turned and smiled weakly at him. 

"Thanks..." she said huskily, clearing her throat. Irvine sighed, remembering the passion of the last half hour. It didn't look as if he was going to get any further with Selphie tonight. 

Still, he thought with a grin. He got further than he thought he would. Who'd have guessed that after a few drinks Selphie would be so up for it? He made a mental note to try and get her drunk more often. He turned to Selphie, and saw that she was fast asleep on the bed. He got up and left her, switching off the light as he shut the door.   
  


Part Two ~ The Morning After !   
  



	2. Default Chapter Title

Silver and Platinum 

By Selphie Leonhart   
  


Part Two : Sorry if you were expecting more detail in the last part....I do know what 17 year olds (and fifteen year olds for that matter) would do in that situation.....   
  


Rating : I think I decided on a 12.....for scenes of nudity!!!! And adult situations....   
  


Disclaimer: All characters used in this story belong to Squaresoft and are used without their permission. Please do not use this story on any other website without my expressed permission.   
  


Selphie reluctantly opened one eye, frowning at the strong sunlight coming through the window. She sat up, her hair sticking up straight and her eyelashes glueing one eye shut. She was still wearing the green skirt and t-shirt from last night, and these were creased. Glaring with one eye at the window where the natural light was coming from, she moaned as she rolled off the bed. 

Dragging herself into the bathroom, she got to work on clearing off the mascara and smeared lipstick from last night, finally able to open one eye. She moaned again as she felt the dull throbbing behind her eyes, bringing back memories of the copious amount of alcohol she had drunk last night. She stripped off completely, and stood perfectly still under the lukewarm water of the shower, trying not to set off another explosion of pain in her head. 

Feeling a little better, she went back to the main room, and got dressed into her freshly cleaned yellow dress. She picked up a brush, and attempted to drag it through the sodden mass of tangles which was her usually shiny straight hair. She winced in pain, every stroke of the brush set of fresh waves of pain in her head. 

She cursed Rinoa's father for providing them with an unlimited amount to spend on drinks. Alcohol was very expensive in Galbadia, to discourage the soldiers from drinking too much. They must have spent almost a million gil in there between them.Selphie giggled, knowing how much Rinoa was looking forward to her father seeing the bill. She would be glad to know she was costing him a lot of money. The rooms he had paid for already were the top quality ones, especially Rinoa's, the Presidential Suite, which consisted of five rooms in total. The men hadn't been so lucky. Her father had made it clear that he didn't approve of Rinoa staying with the young men, even if they were elite mercenaries (perhaps that was why...?) 

Thinking of her male friends made Selphie remember how she had been acting last night. "No! No no no no no......" she groaned, thinking about Irvine, and how she had acted. While she was shaking her head in shame, there was a knock at the door. Selphie put away the blowdryer she had been using and answered it. Predictably, it was the last person she wanted to see at that moment. Irvine stood in the doorway, a smug smile on his face. 

"No no no no no......" she said, turning away from him and going back to the hairdryer, switching it on full so she couldn't hear him. He went over to the socket in the wall and pulled the plug out. Selphie sighed, and turned to him, feeling mortified. 

"Squall didn't come back to his room last night." he said by way of a conversation opener, still smiling. At this, Selphie looked up. 

"He didn't? And he was with....her?" Irvine nodded excitedly. 

"And you thought you behaved badly." he said wickedly, letting her know he hadn't forgotten. 

She blushed wildly, bringing her hands up to cover her face. 

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. He waved his hand in dismissal. 

"Don't be. I've got to admit, I....I felt really guilty this morning. I took advantage of you, and I'm the one who should be sorry." he said, looking at the floor 

She smiled, lowering her hands. "It's ok. I did actually know what I was doing. Most of the time. To tell you the truth, it's something I've been wanting to do for a long time." she said quietly, opening her big green eyes imploringly. He smiled. 

"We should talk then. But not now. I've got an idea..." he smiled evilly. Selphie moved closer. 

"Your room, it connects to Rinoa's, right?" he asked, pointing to the gilded door. 

"No, we can't...but I would like to know..." she said, looking wistfully at the door. She ran to it, kneeling, and looking through the keyhole. Irvine knelt beside her. "Can you see the bed?" he whispered. She giggled. "I can see Rinoa's dress," she said. Irvine smirked. 

"Well, look on the ground next to it then." Selphie looked, and then gasped. 

"Squall's necklace!" she said in hushed tones.   
  
  
  


Opening her eyes, Rinoa gazed at the ceiling, covered in dappled sunlight. She realised she was naked, and for a moment she was confused, she never slept with nothing on. 

Suddenly she sat up straight, looking down at her side. She raised her hand to her mouth slowly, as the realisation of what had happened last night dawned on her. Squall was asleep beside her, lying on his front. She shut her eyes, trying to remember last night, and then lay back down, pulling the sheet up to cover her chest as she smiled at the sleeping Squall. He looks so sweet, she thought. Peaceful, not like the troubled look he always wore when he was awake. She lay there on her side, just smiling as she watched him. 

There was a thud from the connecting door to her room. She sat up straight, the sheet slipping from her grasp as she looked in the direction of the door. 

"Good morning," came a sarcastic voice from beside her. She looked down, and saw Squall smiling up at her. She smiled guiltily at him, then lay back down. He kissed her, and she pulled away, frowning. "What?" he asked gently. She shook her head. 

"I don't remember what happened. Not all of it." she said, frowning at him. He stroked the side of her face, smiling at her. "Are you upset?" he asked, sitting up. She looked up at him, squinting against the strong sunlight. "No," she whispered. "I remember the important bits. And I know that I didn't object to anything which did happen. Of what I do remember, I don't regret. I'm glad we finally came out into the open about how we feel." 

She sat up, the sheet around her waist. She smiled at him warmly. "I just hope that this doesn't get back to my father." she said, leaning towards him. He put his arms around her and they kissed again.   
  


"Shhh!" whispered Selphie, giggling as Irvine tried to push her away from the keyhole. 

"Don't look, you pervert," she giggled, shoving him out the way. They couldn't actually see anything, just the foot of the bed. They couldn't even tell if there was anyone but Rinoa there. 

"Don't push, I'm sure I saw something just then," he replied, pushing her over. 

She lay on the floor, giggling. Jumping up, she picked up a key from the dresser. 

"Shall we?" she aked, flashing the key, a wicked glint in her eye. He smiled back, taking the small gold key from her. 

"One...two...three!" he said, opening the door. 

"Rinoa!" gasped Selphie, her mouth dropping open. 

"Squall?!" yelled Irvine, throwing his hat at the naked couple kissing on the bed. Rinoa turned and gasped, grabbing the sheet to cover her body. Squall just sat there, too stunned to move. Luckily, his arm was around Rinoa, leaving her at least a tiny bit of dignity. For a minute, the four stared at each other, before Selphie backed out of the room silently, pulling Irvine after her, and shut the door behind her. 

They collapsed in laughter on the other side of the door.   
  


Quistis woke up feeling refreshed. Unknown to her, she was the only one of her friends who hadn't fallen asleep with her clothes still on (except Rinoa and Squall...but that was for another reason.) She smiled to herself, enjoying the sunshine through her window. As she walked over to the window, she stretched, taking in the lovely view over Deling City. 

She walked to her bathroom, washed and changed, then left her room to go down to the bar, where they had so much fun last night.   
  


Selphie was laughing so hard she thought she was going to wet herself. She was doubled up, one arm out to support herself on the door frame, tears of laughter running down her face. 

"I can't believe it! He actually did it!" she yelled. Irvine smirked at the memory. 

"He was pretty drunk last night, but not that drunk that he didn't know what he was doing." he said, laughing at Selphie's uncontrollable giggling. 

"Did you see his face when we opened the door?!!" she shouted. Irvine nodded, looking a little worried. 

"He is going to be sooooo mad at us....." he said to Selphie. She waved her hand. 

"No he won't. We'll just say I was going in to see Rinoa and that we had no idea he would be there." she said, calming down a little at the thought of having to face Squall's anger. 

"What about Rinoa?" he asked. Selphie smiled. 

"She will probably be secretly pleased that we did see. Then she has proof if Squall tries to keep it quiet. But she'll pretend that she is annoyed." said Selphie, who had got to know Rinoa very well. 

"Ok. Who shall we tell first?" said Irvine, grinning wickedly.   
  
  
  


Sitting perfectly still, Squall could hear the sounds of uncontrollable laughter coming from the other side of the door. He still had his arm around Rinoa, and he turned to look at her. He was surprised to find that she had a smile on her face. She giggled at his startled look, and drew away from him. 

"What....what's so funny?" he asked, watching her giggle. She put her hand on his bare shoulder, letting it trail down his chest. 

"It was just....they soooo didn't expect to walk in on us doing that! Wearing....nothing!" she said, laughing. "Do you mind?" she asked him. He thought for a second then shook his head. 

"I just wish we had had the opportunity to discuss this before getting into a serious relationship. And I know Irvine. He'll tell everyone. And Selphie won't be able to keep a straight face for weeks after this whenever she see's us." he said, getting out of bed. He sat on the edge and looked round to Rinoa, who was staring at him with a smile on her lips. 

"Do you mind?" he asked sarcastically. She licked her lips and smiled at him. 

"I didn't last night," she said. 

"Well, you were in a drunken mess then. This morning you can see clearly." he said, smiling at her. She laughed. 

"What are you ashamed of?" she asked wickedly, throwing a cushion at him. He gave her a sarcastic look and went into the bathroom. 

She sighed happily. Then she remembered why she was there.   
  
  
  


Dressed, clean and sober, the six friends met up in reception. They decided to go to a local cafe for breakfast, and then go to the Caraway Mansion. 

When they got to the mansion, Squall asked the guard to tell General Caraway they were there. Rinoa looked nervous. Squall smiled at her, and she smiled back at him. Seeing the exchange, Selphie and Irvine giggled quietly. Rinoa turned round and glared at them, a tiny smile on her face. 

The door opened, and Rinoa recognised the maid who opened the door. The maid didn't smile at Rinoa, instead stated bluntly that her father was waiting. Rinoa seemed a little surprised, the maid was one she had known from childhood. They entered the luxurious waiting room, and the six sat down as they waited for Rinoa's father to join them. Eventually, one of the servants came in. He looked sad, and gave Rinoa a look of pity. 

"Miss Heartilly, would you please follow me," he said, opening the door for her. She stood up, and leaving the others, followed the manservant. This was strange, she thought. Why was it so quiet here? She tried to concentrate, but she had a terrible headache, and cursed herself for drinking so much alcohol. She was led up the stairs and down several corridors. Eventually, she was fed up. 

"Where are we going?" she asked impatiently. The servant turned round. 

"Miss Heartilly, we're going to where your father is." he said gently. She sighed. 

"I know that! Where is he?" she asked. The servant gave her the pitying look again, and continued walking. She followed, with an exasperated sigh. 

They stopped outside a massive ornate door. Rinoa looked surprised. 

"The master bedroom?" she said. The servant opened the door without speaking. She walked slowly into the room and saw her father lying in the bed. He looked pale, and very sick. He stared at Rinoa as she entered the room withot speaking. 

"Father, what is this? Are you very ill?" she asked, not knowing what else to say. He nodded. 

"Rinoa...I'm sick." he said. She looked at him, feeling confused. 

"What do you want?" she asked in a neutral tone. She couldn't bring herself to offer sympathy. He laughed bitterly. 

"What made me think I could buy your love? God know's I tried. What would your mother think of me..." he said, looking at his beautiful daughter. She turned her head. 

"Don't talk about her." she said quietly. He sighed. 

"I need to talk to you, Rinoa. You are my daughter, and you can't change that. You are an heiress. When I die...you will get everything. You have no choice." he said. Rinoa crossed her arms across her chest, looking at the ceiling in annoyance. 

"I don't want your money. Did you want me to thank you?" she asked him. 

"No. I just wanted you to know.When I die, I want you to have security. I'm not having my daughter penniless. You don't have a job, or a husband, how can you survive?" he asked her. 

"Ohhhh! I don't need your money!!! I have friends, we survive!" she said. Her father laughed again. 

"Your SeeD friends? Do you have any self respect? They pay for themselves out of their wages. You don't earn anything!" he said, with a hint of sarcasm. She sighed. 

"I suppose..." she murmured. 

"Look, Rinoa, I didn't ask you to come here to argue with you. I wanted us to become friends, to try and get along. I'm..sorry. I should have given you more independence." he said. She gazed at him. 

"You mean that?" she asked. He nodded. 

"Then I'm sorry too. I was rash, I shouldn't have kept running away." She said quietly.   
  
  
  


Back in the waiting room, Squall and the others were getting impatient. Glancing up, he saw that Selphie was perched on the back of the sofa, watching him, a smile on her face. He sighed, and she giggled, coming over to him. 

"I'm sorry. It's just....I saw a side of you I'd never seen before. In fact... I saw more than a side...." she giggled again. 

"Very funny." he said dryly. Squall looked down. 

"Selph, I dunno...I mean....Rinoa is special to me, and I feel like were rushing things." he said. Selphie gasped. 

"A man....saying things are going too fast....are you feeling alright?!" she said jokingly. He gave her a look, and she shut up. 

"Sorry, Squall. Look, maybe you two should just talk. I know she feels the same way about you, she loves you. You two are perfect together." Selphie said, her hand on Squall's back reassuringly. He looked up at her. 

"Yeah. I'll talk to her once we get out of here." he said. Just then, the door opened. Rinoa entered, looking pale. Squall stood up immediatly, knowing she was upset. Without a word, she crossed the room to him, and lying her face against his chest, began crying softly. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly, and wondering what was wrong. The others, seeing how Rinoa was behaving, left the room quietly, leaving the two alone. Eventually, Rinoa looked up. Squall gazed back at her, concerned. She took in a deep, shuddering breath, and the two sat down, Squall still with one arm around her. She leant back, and holding his hand, explained what had happened. 

"My father....he apologised to me. We made up, and he told me he loved me..." she said, her voice shaky. Squall didn't understand why she was crying. 

"I leant over, to kiss him, and when I stood up again, his eyes were shut...and...and..." she burst into tears again. Squall hugged her tightly, stroking her hair lovingly. He felt protective towards her, and wanted to shield her from this grief. But he couldn't. He could only support her. 

As they sat together, the sun slowly set outside, and Rinoa fell asleep in Squall's arms, worn out from crying.   
  
  
  


Selphie was feeling anxious. She was worried about Rinoa. Was she alright? She wanted to know what had happened. And she wanted to hear what had gone on last night. 

"Quisty, what do you think has happened?" she asked her tall friend. Quistis shrugged, and seeing a passing servant, stopped her. 

"Excuse me, but has anything happened which would upset Miss Heartilly?" she asked. The young female servant looked down. 

"Miss, you haven't heard? The Master has died. General Caraway. He was on his deathbed when Miss Heartilly went in to see him. When she came out he was dead. They all say he only lived this long to see her again." said the servant, sadly. 

"Oh, how awful," said Quistis, understanding why Rinoa was so upset. The servant passed on, and they discussed what had happened. 

Eventually, the door opened, and Squall came out. Quistis and Selphie looked at him with anxious eyes. 

"You've heard?" he asked wearily. The women nodded. Squall sighed. 

"Rinoa said to make yourselves at home. This belongs to her now. I'll arrange for our stuff to be brought over from the hotel." he said, turning to go back into the room. Quistis grabbed his arm. 

"Squall, are you okay?" she asked softly. He looked at her, and saw the care in her face. He nodded, and she released him. He turned as he entered the room. 

"Rinoa...she had only just made her peace with her father. It hit her hard." he said, and shut the door. 

He sighed as he stood on the other side of the door. He didn't know what it was like to have lost a parent, as he had never had any, but Rinoa had lost both of them now. She was an orphan, like the rest of them. 

He looked over to Rinoa, and saw her curled up on the couch, her eyes puffy from crying. His heart ached for her. He felt like she was a part of him now, and whatever she felt, he felt. 

He crossed the room to her, and sat beside her, gently brushing away the hair from Rinoa's face. She opened her eyes, and sat up, gazing sleepily at him. 

"Rinoa," he whispered, touching her face. She smiled weakly at him. 

"I'm ok now. I just needed to rest." she stood up, looking around her. "Well, at least we don't have to worry about paying for another hotel room," she said in a shaky voice. Squall stood close to her, silently offering his support. She turned to him, and shook her head. 

"I acted terribly. I was just trying to be rebellious. I never saw that he was really only trying to get the best for me." she said in a low voice. He put his hand on her shoulder, and she sighed. 

"Lets go find the others." she said softly.   
  


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The next morning, it was quiet in the Caraway mansion. Rinoa had already spoken on the phone to several reporters from Galbadia's main newspapers informing them of her fathers death, and that she was the sole heiress of all his wealth. At the moment, it meant nothing to her. She didn't care that she was now the most powerful woman in Deling City. She just wanted some time to think. 

The six of them sat in the massive dining hall, eating a luxurious breakfast prepared by the two cooks employed in the mansion. They were talking quietly, and even Rinoa managed to join in the light-hearted conversation. Even so, the mood was depressing, and it was impossible to cheer Rinoa up. Eventually, one of the servants entered the room to clear away the plates. Rinoa hadn't been able to eat anything much, and the servant, who had known Rinoa since she was little, looked at her young mistress in concern. 

"Miss Heartilly, are you not hungry?" she asked softly. Rinoa shook her head, and the servant took away the nearly full plate. Squall leant over to Rinoa. 

"You should try and eat something. I don't want you getting ill." he said. She smiled at him, touched by his concern. 

"I'm just not hungry Squall." she said. Squall shrugged. 

"What do you want to do today?" he asked her. "I understand if you want to be by yourself." he said softly. She sighed. 

"I would prefer it if you all were here with me. I need some time, but with my friends. Will you stay with me?" she asked them. They all nodded. 

"Of course Rinoa! We'll stay as long as you want!" said Selphie. Quistis agreed. 

"You take as long as you need Rinoa. We'll be here for you." she said comfortingly.   
  


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They spent two months in the mansion. Squall and Rinoa spent most of their time together. Selphie,Quistis, Zell and Irvine explored the mansion, and the City. There was loads to do, and despite the fact that they were worried about Rinoa, they had a great time. Squall on the other hand, was deeply concerned about Rinoa. She seemed to be fading. 

He didn't know what was wrong with her. One moring, he woke up to find Rinoa standing in the corner of the bedroom, staring at a painting on the wall. He had crossed the room to her, and she had felt cold to his touch. She hadn't spoken to him for a full two minutes before finaly coming round. When he asked her what the painting was, she said it was one her mother had done when Rinoa was tiny. 

Then there was the physical signs. Sometimes, Squall would wake up in the middle of the night to find Rinoa curled up in a ball, as if she had severe stomach cramps. Or she would cry in her sleep, and she never knew why. What worried him most, was the fact that she was constantly sick. Every morning, he would wake to the sound of her vomiting in the en suite. He would run in there and hold her hair for her, while rubbing her back soothingly. Often, when she had finished, she would start crying, and they would just sit there on the tile floor, holding each other. He felt like he was losing her.   
  


"Selphie?" said Rinoa quietly as she entered the library. Selphie was standing in there, reading a very old book. She shut it as Rinoa entered. 

"Hi!" she said, pleased to see her friend. She was worried about Rinoa, and was glad of a chance to talk to her. Rinoa smiled weakly. 

"I needed to talk to someone," she said, her voice low. Selphie led Rinoa to one of the tables, and the pair sat down. Rinoa took a deep breath. 

"Selphie, I don't know what's wrong with me," she said. Selphie bit her lip as Rinoa continued. "I feel like I'm losing my mind. I'm over my fathers death, that isn't what worries me. I keep sleepwalking, and I'm being sick all the time...." she said. Selphie cleared her throat. 

"Umm....have you seen a doctor?" she asked, knowing Rinoa hadn't. Rinoa shook her head. 

"I've kinda guessed what might be wrong....but I'm not sure." Selphie nodded, knowing what she meant. 

"You think you might be..." Rinoa nodded quickly. Selphie smiled. 

"Well,do you want me to go and buy you a test?" she asked. Rinoa smiled at her gratefully. 

"Would you? I'd go, but Squall would want to come with me." she said. Selphie gazed at Rinoa. 

"What would he say if you were pregnant?" she asked. Rinoa dropped her eyes. 

"I don't know." she said quietly. Selphie stood up. 

"I'll go to the pharmacy now. Wait in your bedroom, and I'll bring the test straight up." she said. Selphie left the room, and Rinoa sighed, resting her head on her folded arms.   
  


***************************************************************************   
  


"Two minutes," said Rinoa quietly. She and Selphie stood outside the bathroom. Both of them were feeling tense, and Rinoa felt a kind of nervous excitement. If she was having Squall's baby.....would she be happy? She didn't know. She was too young to have children, she knew that, but she loved Squall, and she knew he loved her. She had her own house, plenty of money....she could provide for a child. It wouldn't be altogether a bad thing. 

"It's time." said Selphie, hopping from one foot to the other in excitement. Rinoa took a deep breath and went into the bathroom. When she came out again, she was holding them little white plastic tube at arms length. 

"Selphie, I can't look at it. Tell me please...." she said. Selphie took it and gasped. 

"It's pink." she yelled, hugging Rinoa. Rinoa gasped, and burst into tears. 

Just then, Squall entered the room. Rinoa looked up at him, and smiled. He crossed over to her,a serious look on his face. 

"Rinoa, look, I've called a doctor. I'm worried about you..." he started. She waved for him to shut up, and led him to the couch and made him sit down. 

"Squall, I'm not ill." she said. He looked at her closely. She had been crying, but there was colour in her cheeks, and she looked happier than she had been recently. 

"What is it?" he asked her. She took a deep breath. 

"I'm pregnant." she said. His mouth dropped open. He put his head in his hands, shutting his eyes. The smile left Rinoa's face, and a feeling of dread crept over her. 

"You...don't want our baby..." she whispered, barely audible. Squall looked at her. 

"I didn't say that," he said, his voice harsh. She swallowed hard. 

"I know it's a shock...but...we should think about this...I...I don't want to have an abortion" she said with tears in her eyes. 

Squall took her hand and attempted to smile. "Rinoa, I'm just happy you aren't ill. I don't want you to get rid of our child. You have no idea how worried I was." he said. He looked down. "This is a shock, yes. But I'm not angry. Or upset. It's very strange, to think that I'm gonna be a father....but....if you're happy, then..." he said, smiling weakly at her. 

She gasped happily, and threw her arms around him. 

"Yes! I am happy!" she said. He smiled back, and it was a genuine smile with warmth. 

In the corner, Selphie danced from foot to foot happily watching her two friends embrace.   
  


Part Three   
  



	3. Default Chapter Title

Silver and Platinum 

By Selphie Leonhart   
  


Part Three: 

So now Rinoa knows that she's gotta bun in the oven....   
  


Rating : Well....this part is better than the others....rated G.   
  


Disclaimer : All characters used in this story are the property of Squaresoft and are used without their permission. Please do not use this story on any other website without my expressed permission. I will allow it, as long as my name reamins attached!   
  


The servant opened the door to Doctor White. He was a serious old man, with grey hair and he always wore the same grey pin-stripe suit. He was led into the drawing room, where Rinoa and Squall sat. Rinoa was laughing as he entered the room, and he took that to be a good sign. The boy he had spoken to on the phone had seemed concerned that she was depressed, and was worried about her mental health. The doctor had told him that it was perfectly understandable, but had come to examine the young heiress anyway. 

"Good evening Miss Caraway," he said to her Rinoa corrected him immediatly. 

"I'm Rinoa Heartilly. My mother's surname," she said quietly. The doctor nodded in apology. 

"So, what seems to be the problem?" he asked her. Rinoa looked at Squall and smiled. Squall answered the doctor. 

"We think Rinoa's pregnant." he said. The doctor hid his surprise well. He wasn't happy, he had known Rinoa for a long time, and knew this was the last thing her father would have wanted for her. But still, his duty was to help Rinoa now. 

"Alright, lets examine you to see how far along you are, if you are pregnant. I assume you did a test?" he asked, motioning for Rinoa to lie down on the leather couch. She did as she answered. 

"I did three tests. They were all positive." she said. The doctor nodded, and checked her heartbeat. He asked her various questions, which she did her best to answer, and eventually let her sit up. Squall looked at the doctor expectantly. 

"Well?" he asked. The doctor sighed. 

"Yes. Miss Heartilly, you are pregnant. Two or three months, I'd say. Everything seems fine." he said. Rinoa smiled. The doctor continued. "Would you like me to make an appointment for you at the clinic? The Deling City Maternity Clinic is a very good one. You should have a checkup at three months anyway. And you can have an ultrasound as soon as you want." he said. Rinoa smiled. 

"That's great!" she said. Squall smiled at her. She seemed so excited by this, and so was he. It was daunting to know that in less than nine moths he was going to be responsible for another life, but he was glad. He had decided ages ago that Rinoa was the person he wanted to spend his life with, and he hoped she felt the same.   
  


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Selphie was absolutely dying to tell someone. She saw Quistis at the end of the corridor, and ran towards her. Quistis turned with a smile. 

"What is is Selphie? You look excited." she said. Selphie bit her lip. 

"I can't tell you, but....ohh...." she was bursting to tell someone. It was just so excited. Rinoa and Squall were going to be parents! But she shouldn't be the one to tell everyone...what if they didn't want the baby. 

Quistis watched as Selphie's face fell. She wondered what was going on. Selphie had seemed so excited a minute ago. 

"Selph, what is it?" she asked her friend. Selphie swallowed hard. She backed away. 

"Ummm, I gotta go check something," she said, and ran back down the corridor, leaving Quistis confused.   
  


**************************************************************************   
  


As Selphie approached the door of the drawing room, Rinoa was just showing the doctor out of the room. She was smiling. Squall was behind her. 

"Thankyou doctor. We'll be in touch," she said with a smile. The doctor nodded and walked off, giving Selphie a curious glance as he passed the breathless girl. 

"Well?!" asked Selphie, walking up to Rinoa. Rinoa smiled. 

"I'm definatly pregnant. I'm going for an ultrasound tommorow." she said. 

"Are you gonna tell everyone?" she asked. Squall stepped forward. 

"I'm going to tell everyone tonight at dinner. You haven't let it slip, have you?" he asked her. She shook her head. "No. I'm dying to tell someone though!" she said, smiling at Rinoa. Rinoa grinned back. 

"Me too. This is so exciting. I feel much to young to have a baby, but, we're both happy about it. It's not as if we can't afford it, and we have this house now." she said, looking at Squall. Squall sighed. Rinoa seemed so pleased with this. He still felt a bit apprehensive. There were complications she hadn't thought of. Like how Garden wasn't going to be pleased at all by Squall's irresponsibility. And the fact that he was a very high ranking SeeD, and he was still on a mission. Were they gonna keep on fighting with a pregnant member of their party? What if Rinoa was injured during battle? 

There was a lot to discuss.   
  


**************************************************************************   
  


After dinner that night, Squall stood up at the head of the table. The other SeeDs looked at him expectantly. Selphie had a wide smile on her face. He cleared his throat, and glanced at Rinoa before he continued. 

"Um, I have something I'd like to tell you all. Selphie already knows," he said with a smile. The others looked at the grinning girl, who had her hand over her mouth to stop herself shouting out the news before Squall had a chance. He looked at Rinoa again, who was smiling at him. 

"Rinoa is pregnant." he said. There were gasps, and a high pitched squeal from Selphie, who couldn't contain herself anymore. Quistis stared at Rinoa, a concerned look on her face. Rinoa didn't see the look of sadness which passed over the blonde girls face. Irvine immediatly jumped out of his seat to thump Squall on the back in congratulations. Zell did the same, after the initial shock passed. 

"It...is yours, isn't it Squall?" asked Zell, only half joking. It was hard to believe such a thing had happened. At seventeen, children was the last thing on any of their minds.   
  


**********************************************************************************   
  


As Squall walked into the bedroom, he saw Rinoa standing infront of the huge mirror. She was only wearing a bra and panties, and was examining her stomach in the reflection. She smiled at him as he entered the room. 

"Rinoa?" he said as he shut the door behind him. 

"Yes?" she said, smoothing her hands over her stomach. There was only a slight bulge in it, it was barely noticible. He stared at her stomach, feeling the usual mixed emotions surfacing as he thought of the situation they were in. He crossed the room to her. 

"We need to talk about somethings. I can't stay here much longer. Neither can Selphie, Zell, Quistis or Irvine. We have a mission to complete." he said in a low voice. She swallowed hard, and nodded. 

"I know." she said, her voice deep. She had been thinking about it for a while. She knew he wouldn't let her come with him. But she needed to. She couldn't leave her friends. 

"Squall," she started, turning to him, her eyes pleading. "Take me with you," she whispered. He shook his head, and stroked her face. 

"I can't." he said, feeling terrible. She sighed, exasperated, and turned back to her reflection. She could see him looking at her over her shoulder. 

"You're just going to leave me here? All by myself?" she said quietly. He shook his head. 

"No! You will have all the servants, and....there's the hospital nearby...you'll be safer here." he said. 

"Squall. I can fight. You know I can look after myself. I wont be able to survive by myself. I need to be with all of you." she said pleadingly. 

"No, Rinoa. What if I couldn't protect you? What if you were possesed again? I couldn't face it." he said. She looked at him. 

"I can protect myself. You don't have to worry about me. Are you scared of what Garden will say? Is that it?" she asked, her voice harsh. She was angry at the thought of being left behind while the others went to kill the sorceress. She had already come so far with them, she didn't want to be left out now. 

"No. I don't care what Garden say! I'm not putting you or our baby in danger!" he shouted at her. He instantly regretted it as she began to cry. 

"Rinoa, I'm sorry," he said. She hid her face in her hands and just stood there sobbing. He didn't know what to say to her. He felt guilty, he knew all she wanted was to help them. 

"Rinoa, I only want what is best for you. I want you to be safe. You know I would die if anything happened to you." She looked up. 

"Me. Do you care at all about our child?" she asked coldly. He stared at her, She suddenly looked much older as she stood before him. 

"Of course," he said, his mouth dry. She turned to him. 

"Then you should let me come with you. So you can be there every step of the way. So you can be there when I need you. What if you aren't there when the baby is born. What if I'm all alone?" she said. Squall understood. He lowered his gaze. 

"It would be awful. Ellone once told me....the reason she was trying to change the past was because Laguna wasn't there to see Raine's baby born. If that happened to you and I...." he trailed off. 

"I understand. I won't try and stop you coming with us. If you think it is for the best." he said. She nodded at him, and turned back to her reflection. She smiled faintly, and took Squall's hand, placing it on her stomach. He gasped as he felt how warm she was, and as she moved his hand over her stomach, he could feel the bulge there. It was amazing to think that it was his child.   
  


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Squall kissed her softly on the mouth as they stood in front of the mirror. Every day for the past week, she had stood there in the evening, gazing happily at her stomach in the glass. He stroked her hair as she tilted her face up towards him so he would kiss her deeper. Tommorow they would leave for Esthar, but until then, it was their last night together in their home. 

She took his by the hand and led him to the bed. They continued kissing, and she smiled as he whispered to her how much he was going to miss the privacy of their own room. 

"Then lets make the most of it," she whispered back as she lay down on the bed, looking up at her lover.   
  


***************************************************************************   
  


They had to report to Garden before going on to Esthar. The Lunatic Pandora was their next destination, and they had to prepare for a major battle. Squall felt almost nervous as he took the small elevator up to the headmasters office, which was now the controlroom of the garden. The headmaster was waiting. 

"Welcome back Squall," he said as the SeeD entered the room. Squall nodded as a greeting. 

"What can I do for you?" he asked. Squall saluted, and stepped forward. 

"I have to inform you of the condition of a member of our team. Rinoa Heartilly, whose employment we are presently under, is pregnant." he said. The headmaster frowned. 

"Squall, I had assumed you were her...ummm 'boyfriend'. Is that not true?" he asked, unable to believe his top SeeD was responsible for this. 

Squall looked Headmaster Cid straight in the eye."I am the father of Rinoa's baby." he said. Cid shook his head. 

"Squall,....do you realise what you have done? This is very irresponsible. Under normal circumstances, this is a dissmissable offence. How are you going to provide for the child? Are you even going to keep the child?" he asked, disappointed. 

"Yes, we are going to keep it. Rinoa is an heiress, she has a lot of money, and a mansion in Deling City. The baby will be well provided for, and I plan to be a major part of it's life. I'm not going to refuse to take on the position of a father. I'm going to be there for her every step of the way," he said, echoing Rinoa's words. Cid smiled. 

"I would have expected no less of you Squall. Congratulations. Garden will support you and Rinoa all the way. If you two wish, the pair of you can stay in Garden when it is term time. We'll make child care arrangements for you. As you know, once you are twenty one, you will be able to leave garden when you have recieved all the training we can give you. All you will have to come to garden for after that is to make reports and receive new missions." 

Squall nodded. "Thankyou." he said. He turned to leave, but Cid called him back. 

"What are you planning to do until the baby is born? Surely Rinoa isn't expected to fight alongside you anymore?" he said. Squall looked down. 

"She wants to. She refused to stay in Deling City, and I have promised her that she can come. I'll do all I can to protect her." he said. Cid nodded. 

"Squall, you must also remember that you are on a mission. Don't let your emotions get in the way of your ultimate goal, defeating the sorceress. If you fail, then not only will Rinoa and the baby be in danger, the whole world will cease to exist." Squall nodded. 

"I understand." he said, and left the office.   
  


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"The six of them sat in the Quad, talking together quietly. Squall was explaning the situation to them all, and Rinoa was sitting next to them. 

"Rinoa is going to fight with us," he said, his voice serious. Irvine made a noise of disbelief. 

"What if she is hurt?" he asked. Squall looked at the taller boy. 

"We'll have to make sure she isn't. Quistis has medical training. And I will be doing my best to protect her. We need to bear in mind that whever we are in a battle, Rinoa is vunerable. But you shouldn't lose your focus on our goal." he said. The other SeeD's nodded. Quistis glanced at Squall. 

"What do we do if Rinoa goes into labour prematurely, or unexpectedly, when we are nowhere near a town?" she asked. Squall sighed. 

"Hopefully, that won't happen. But if it does, you and I will have to deliver the baby. You know how, right?" he asked her. Quistis looked worried, but nodded. 

"I have had a little training, but I think we should visit Dr Kadowaki just to make sure." she said. Squall nodded. 

"Does anyone else have any questions?" he asked, looking round at his friends. There was no reply. Then Rinoa sat up straight. 

"Um, I wanted to thank all of you. I know this is a difficult situation, and I wouldn't have blamed you if you refused to let me come with you. But I couldn't bear to be left behind." she said, looking round at her friends innocently. They smiled back at her, and Selphie gave her a hug. 

"We wouldn't do that!" she said reassuringly. Quistis nodded, and Zell laughed. 

"I might be fun, trying to deal with your mood swings....having to fetch you all sorts of weird foods you have a craving for...none of us being able to sleep at night...." he said playfully. She gave him a sarcastic smile, and turned back to Quistis. 

"You....if you have to deliver my baby....will you be able to do it? Will it hurt?" she asked, going a little at the thought of labour. Quistis bit her lip. 

"I've never done it before, to tell the truth. It was part of the instructors training, but I know that if it comes down to it, me and Squall will be able to do it. Anyway, it'll be you doing all the work!" she said. Rinoa smiled. 

"Thanks." she said. Squall stood up. 

"Lets get going. We have a long journey." he said, helping Rinoa to her feet.   
  
  
  


Part Four   
  



	4. Default Chapter Title

Silver and Platinum 

By Selphie Leonhart   
  


Part Four 

Rinoa is seven moths pregnant now, and they are in the middle of the Centra continent.....   
  


Rating : ......um.....12? I dunno......It isn't full of sex scenes, but it isn't meant for children either.   
  


Disclaimer : All characters used are the property of Squaresoft and are used without their permission. Please do not use this story on any other website without my expressed permission. I will allow it, as long as my name remains attached!!!   
  
  
  


She was out of breath, and close to tears as Squall helped her sit down in the shade. He sat beside her, and rubbed her back as she tried to regain her breath. The last few weeks had been really hard, as the SeeD's tried to build up their levels and gain GF's for their upcoming battle. She leant against his chest, glad for his strength as she began to recover. Rinoa shut her eyes, and tried to summon the strength to get up again. She knew if she stayed there she would become sleepy and would not be able to carry on. Quistis was standing over the couple, looking concerned. 

"Squall, this isn't good," she said, looking at the shaking Rinoa. It had been a tough battle they had just fought, but the others had recovered in a few minutes, Rinoa had been in pain for at least fifteen minutes. She knelt down as Rinoa gave out a little cry and clutched at her stomach, which was now vastly swollen. Quistis gently removed Rinoa's hands and placed her own on Rinoa's stomach. She could feel the baby kicking her, and guessed this was what was causing Rinoa pain. 

"Rinoa, can you sit up?" asked Squall softly. She gulped, and made an effort to not lean against him. Quistis stood up and offered Rinoa her hand. Rinoa took it, and stumbled to her feet. "I'm feeling better now," she said. She wasn't as out of breath as before. Quistis took out a tiny bottle from her pocket. 

"Here," she said, making Rinoa drink the potion. She smiled as the colour returned to Rinoa's cheeks. Squall pulled Rinoa towards him, and put a hand on her stomach. He smiled as he felt the baby move. It made Rinoa wince. 

"She's strong," she whispered to him. Squall raised an eyebrow. 

"She?" he asked with a slight smile. Rinoa blushed. 

"I feel it.....I know it's going to be a little girl." she said softly. He gave her a look of disbelief. 

"How can you tell?" he asked her. She shrugged. 

"I just know." she said. Squall put his arm around her, and led her to where the others were. Rinoa felt a sudden stab of pain in her stomach, but she ignored it. She had been having pains for the last few days, and it was nothing new.   
  


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"Squall!" she gasped, waking suddenly. Rinoa sat up quickly, and wiped at her forehead. She was sweating, and moaned as she felt another shuddering pain in her abdomen. 

"Squall!"she called again, her voice high pitched. She shivered, and raising her arms, tried to touch him, but couldn't reach. She wasn't surprised he couldn't hear her, it was so cold there they were all sleeping under piles of blankets. Luckily, someone else had heard her call. Quistis touched Rinoa's shoulder. She was a light sleeper, and had heard Rinoa's cry for help. She sat up, and pulled the blankets off Rinoa, laying one hand on the breathless girls forehead. Rinoa tried to tell her what was wrong, but another wave of pain hit her, and she was unable to talk, instead made a high pitched moan. Quistis was very worried. Rinoa was only seven and a half months pregnant. 

Quistis reached over Rinoa and shook Squall awake. Immediatly he focused on Rinoa, and swallowed hard. "She's....in labour?" he asked Quistis. She nodded, and Squall kissed Rinoa's cheek quickly before fetching some cloths which they had prepared for this purpose. By now, the other three were awake. 

"What is it?" asked Selphie sleepily. Her eyes opened wide as she saw Rinoa. She gasped, and asked Quistis what she could do to help. Quistis was feeling very stressed. Just then, Rinoa screamed as another contraction came over her. Quistis worked at removing Rinoa's clothes, and concentrated on the training Dr Kadowaki had given her. To her surprise, Squall was being very calm about this. She smiled to herself. He had been showing his feelings a lot more recently, but he was still the cold-hearted Squall they all knew and loved. 

Rinoa screamed again, and Quistis winced, promising herself never to have children. Rinoa seemed in agony. It was freezing cold in the tent, but Rinoa was sweating. She was writhing in agony on the hard floor of the tent, even though Squall and Quistis were doing their best to but blankets under her. Quistis was talking to Rinoa, trying to calm her down, when Squall went pale. 

"Um, Quistis....she's bleeding......" he said. Quistis almost laughed at the look on his face. He looked terrified. She reassured Rinoa everything was alright, and had a look. "It's normal Squall," she said quietly, not wanting to alarm Rinoa. Squall nodded, and went back to comforting Rinoa.   
  


**************************************************************************   
  


It went on long into the night. Shivering with cold, Selphie huddled under the blanket with the other two, as they listened to the moaning and screaming coming from the tent. She was sitting on Irvines lap, and he was shivering as well. The blanket hardly seemed to help at all. She smiled as Irvine wrapped his arms around her. She could have kicked herself for only bringing two sets of clothes with her. A tiny yellow dress, and her SeeD uniform. The sleeveless dress was freezing, and she couldn't sleep in her uniform. Luckily, Irvine had given her his big coat, which was fleecy, and warm. 

Zell got up and walked around. There was no chance of any of them sleeping anymore that night. They had to find out if Rinoa was alright. He jogged up and down, and Selphie followed him sleepily with her eyes. He began punching the air, and she began to get annoyed. 

"Zell! For God's sake sit down!" she called to him. Irvine smirked at the look on Zells face as he obeyed the tiny girl. He sat up a little, shifting Selphie to the side. 

"D'you always do what she tells you?" he teased the blonde. 

Zell stood up again and resumed punching the air. Irvine laughed. Selphie made a little grunt of annoyance. She stood up. "Zell! I'll punch you for real in a minute if you don't sit on your goddamn ass and shut up!" she said. 

She was cold, tired, and very irritable. Zell backed off and sat against a rock, sulking. Irvine broke the tension by laughing. Selphie spun around to tell him to shut up, but before she could open her mouth they heard a noise pierce the silence of the desert air. 

A baby crying.   
  


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It wasn't exactly the most elegant moment in Rinoa's life. There was blood everywhere, all over both Quistis and Squall. But she was half laughing, half crying. She was holding Squall's hand so tightly he was afraid she was going to break bones. 

Quistis yelled at Squall to fetch her a cloth. Squall did his best to free himself from Rinoa's grip and threw the wet cloth into Quistis' outstretched hands. The tall blonde girl was very stressed, which was very unusual. Quistis was usually calm and serene, and to see her dashing around the tent was strange, and a little disturbing. 

Quistis had laid the baby between Rinoa's legs as she fetched scissors to cut the cord. She was worried, as the baby wasn't crying. Dr Kadowaki had warned her of this, and said the first thing to do was cut the cord, and then to check if the baby had any blockages in its throat. 

She cut the purplish cord, tying it with string. Squall was calling to her, trying to find out what was happening. He was anxious, but Quistis didn't have time for him now. She picked the slippery baby up, and putting its head against her shoulder, hit its back sharply. Immediatly, the baby began to cry as the fluid was cleared from its lungs. Squall managed to wrench his hand free of Rinoa's and rushed to Quistis' side. Quistis was holding the baby and smiling as she wiped the blood and gore from it's tiny body. 

Squall knelt beside Quistis, and picked up the baby. It was so tiny, and he felt instantly attached to it. He carried it over to Rinoa, and laid it on her chest. She had stopped moaning, and instead was speechless as she stared at her child. She raised a hand to it nervously, touching the tiny crying thing. With Squall's help, she sat up, and picked up her baby, holding it tight against her. She was crying now, as she stared in wonder at the child. Squall found that his mouth was dry, and the usually cold, emotionless young man found himself with tears in his eyes. 

"It's a little girl...like you said..." he whispered. The baby had stopped crying now as Rinoa held her, and stroked the baby's head. The baby had very fine dark hair, and it's tiny eyes were shut. Rinoa touched her baby's tiny fist, watching as the little fingers curled around her own. 

Quistis cleared her throat. It was a very emotional moment, and for some reason, she wanted to start crying. But she had a job to do. She hadn't said anything, but Rinoa had been bleeding a lot, even though it had stopped now. 

"Um, Rinoa," she said softly. Rinoa looked up. Quistis continued. 

"I'm going to have to...you need stitches," she said. Rinoa winced. 

"Really...." she said looking disturbed. Quistis nodded, and smiled at her friend. 

"Trust me, you wont feel anything. Compared to the pain you went through a few momemts ago, this will be nothing." she said. Rinoa nodded. Quistis smiled at the baby. 

"You should feed her," she reminded Rinoa gently. Rinoa nodded, and smiled down at her child as she prepared to feed her for the first time. 

Squall glanced at Quistis, who was unrolling the pack of medical instruments Dr Kadowaki had packed for them. 

"Do you need any help?" he asked quietly. Quistis shook her head. Squall looked back to the baby. It suddenly occured to him, they didn't have a name for her. 

"What are we going to call her?" he asked Rinoa. She stroked the baby's dark hair and smiled. 

"I don't know. I've thought of a few names, but nothing special." she said. Just then the baby made a gurgling noise, amking it's parent look down to it. The baby opened her eyes, making Rinoa gasp. 

"Look! They're green. Look how vivid the colour is...." she said. Squall stared into the baby's eyes, smiling. 

"Vivid....what a lovely name..." he murmured. Rinoa heard him, and thought about it. 

"Vivid...yes. It's special. Lets call her Vivid." she said, looking down at the baby, who had finished feeding by now. She passed Vivid to Squall with a smile, and buttoned her shirt up. 

He stood up, holding his daughter. She gurgled, and opened her dark green eyes, staring back at him as he held her awkwardly. Rinoa gazed up at them, with a smile on her face.   
  


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Quistis left the tent, holding as bowl of dirty water. The others rushed to her as she knelt beside the stream, washing the bowl. 

"Is Rinoa okay? It the baby alright?" asked Selphie anxiously. Quistis washed her hands and re-filled the bowl. She stood up and smiled at her friends. 

"Yes. They're both fine. I thought Squall was going to pass out for a minute or two, but he's fine too." she said. Selphie jumped up and down. Quistis laughed. Irvine's coat was so big on her, it trailed on the ground. 

"Can we see the baby?" asked Zell. Quistis shrugged. 

"Wait until Squall's finished. When I left them, Rinoa was still feeding the baby." she said, heading back to the tent. 

Selphie turned back to the others, and jumped up and down for joy, clapping her hands. Irvine put his arms around her shoulders, and she hugged him tightly. 

On the horizon, the first grey light of dawn was beginning to break in the sky.   
  


**************************************************************************   
  


Squall sat with the baby, which was wrapped in the blanket they had brought along for it. Vivid was opening her eyes more often now, and everytime she did, her parents stared them in wonder. They were a beautiful shade of green, and Rinoa could tell that in a few months they would lighten to be like Squall's bluish green eyes. 

She was sitting on a pile of clean blankets, which Quistis and Zell had washed in the early hours of the morning. Sitting up straight, she took the baby from Squall as she began to cry, and started to feed Vivid. Squall gazed at the couple in wonder. Rinoa was so natural with the baby, and he was amazed how strongly he felt towards the pair of them. When he held Vivid, he felt so protective, and felt so much love for her. He had decided he would do whatever he could to get the best for her. 

There was a call from outside the tent. No-one else but Quistis had seen Vivid yet, as Rinoa had been asleep until now. Now Selphie was dying to see her. Quistis pushed aside the flap of the tent and entered. She was carrying some food and fresh water for Rinoa. She smiled as she saw the mother with her child. 

"Rinoa, are you hungry?" she asked. Rinoa looked up and smiled. 

"Yeah, I'm starving!" she answered. Squall stood up, and rubbed his eyes. He had only slept for a few hours, and was exhausted. He decided to see how the others were doing. He hadn't seen any of them since last night.Leaving the tent, he was greeted by a chorus of congratulatons and applause. He smiled despite himself, and even allowed Selphie to throw her arms around his neck. Irvine slapped him on the back hard to show congratulations, and Zell punched the air in excitement. Squall motioned for then all to calm down. 

"It's....a girl," he said. Selphie gasped and jumped up and down, and the guys grinned broadly. 

Squall was pleased they were happy. He was very proud of his daughter. 

"Rinoa's fine, and so is the baby," he said. He was interrupted by Selphie, who was still jumping up and down. 

"What's she called!?!" she yelled. Squall smiled at her. 

"Vivid. We've decided to call her Vivid." he told them. Selphie clapped her hands in delight. 

"What a beautiful name!" she said wistfully. Squall nodded. 

"She's a beautiful baby." he said softly. Zell and Irvine gave him a funny look. 

"You...er....you're not going all soft on us now, are you Squall?" asked Irvine, teasing him. Squall gave him a sarcastic look. 

"Wait till you see her. You'll think she's beautiful too." he said. Just then, The flap of the tent was opened by Quistis. Rinoa stepped out into the light. She was holding Vivid in her arms. 

"Ohh...." gasped Selphie, rushing to Rinoa's side. Squall did the same, slipping his arm around Rinoa's waist to support her. Rinoa handed Vivid to Selphie carefully. Squall watched in amazement as Selphie cradled the baby. He was surprised at how the women seemed to be perfectly natural at holding the baby, washing the baby, and feeding the baby, considering they had never done it before. He had felt awkward when he had first held Vivid. She was so small, as she was premature, she almost fitted into the palm of his hand. At the most, she was only about eight inches long. 

He watched as Selphie rocked Vivid gently in her arms, singing softly to her while Rinoa watched with a smile on her face. He tightened his grip on Rinoa's waist, as he watched his child. Rinoa turned her face to him, and smiled as she saw the protective look on his face. She put her hand on his chest, and leant her head against his shoulder. She felt tired, but very happy.   
  


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Squall held Vivid as they walked, letting Rinoa rest her arms. Even though the baby was very light, over such long distances it was hard to hold her constantly. They were forced to walk to the nearest town, the Ragnarok had run out of fuel before they managed to reach Esthar, and there was no other choice for them. Once they got to Esthar, the technicians would be able to sort out their ship and they would be able to fly again. 

Finally they stopped. Squall could see Edea's orphanage in the distance. It was ruined now, but there they would be out of the burning sun, which would be a blessing as it was nearly midday. Rinoa was out of breath as she walked, and was leaning heavily on Irvine, who was trying to hold her up. Quistis was looking at her, concerned. 

"Squall, I think we should stop." she said. He sighed, and pulled the blanket further in around Vivid's face. He was trying to shade her from the searing sun as much as possible. She was sleeping, as usual, and he smiled as he looked down at her. He looked up at Quistis. The instructor had her hand over her eyes, as if she had a headache. She looked pleadingly at Squall. 

"Rinoa needs a break," she said to him. He nodded, and looked around him. There was absolutely no shade for miles. All he could see was hard rock ground, and in the distance a forest, but much closer the ruined orphanage. He pointed it out to Quistis. 

"There's no shade. It'd only take us about half an hour to get to the orphanage." he said. Rinoa moaned. 

"Squall, I'm too tired..." she said. She had her eyes shut as she walked, clutching at Irvine in an attempt to keep upright. Squall finally gave in. 

"Ok, lets rest." he said. Irvine helped Rinoa sit down on the ground, and Quistis brought out bottles of water she had filled at the stream. She passed one to Rinoa. Rinoa took it gratefully, and smiled at Squall as he sat down beside her. Vivid began to cry. Squall passed her to Rinoa, who sighed as she took the screaming baby. She was so tired....   
  
  
  


Finally, they reached the orphanage. It was such a relief to enter the cool stone building by the sea. From here they would be able to call the Garden , and ask for transportation. Rinoa collapsed on one of the beds, grateful for rest. Squall took Vivid out onto the beach, and sat with her on the sand, listening to the waves. 

It brought back memories of his own childhood, when he, Quistis, Zell, Selphie and Irvine all used to play together on this beach. Until Ellone had disappeared. The he hadn't played with the other children anymore. He had been five years old when she had gone. At five years old, he had lost his enthusiasm for life. Edea had taken him to Balamb Garden, and he grew up there, learning how to fight. It was something he could lose himself in. 

He looked down at the tiny baby in his arms, wondering what she would grow up to be like. He had his whole life planned for him the moment he was enrolled in Garden. His destiny was to become a SeeD. He would be happy if his daughter became one too. He smiled at her, touching her tiny hand. She wrapped her fingers around his, and again he thought how amazing she was.   
  


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Rinoa woke up, and realised for the first time in weeks she wasn't too cold, too hot, or too uncomfortable. She sat up straight, and immediatly looked around for Vivid, momentarily alarmed as to where she was. Then she realised Squall must have her. Getting out of the small bed, she crossed to the open doorway. Down on the beach she could see Squall. He was sitting on the beach, with Vivid in his arms. She leant against the doorway and smiled as she watched the two most important people in her life. 

Stepping into the sunshine, she walked down the stone steps to the beach. She tried not to make a noise, so as not to disturb Squall. She could hear him talking to Vivid softly. She smiled, and crept up to them. She could only hear a little of what he was saying, but it sounded like he was telling her about when he used to live here. She laughed softly to let them know she was there. Squall looked up, and smiled at her. She stood there, the wind blowing her dark hair out behind her, and her blue gown was flapping in the wind. She looked like a vision, thought Squall. He stood up, and passed Vivid to her. 

Rinoa took her child, and looked down at her sleeping baby. Her hair was thicker now, and was very dark, like Rinoa's own hair. Over the last few days, her eyes had become lighter. 

Squall put his arm around Rinoa's waist, and the two of them walked along the beach, as Rinoa rocked Vivid in her arms. They could hear the waves crashing on the shore next to them, and the cry of the seagulls above them. The air was cool and fresh, and smelt of the ocean. 

Looking out over the sea, Squall smiled as he saw a familiar shape. The Garden was slowly coming towards them, Quistis had called them to come and pick them up. He turned back to Rinoa, and she smiled up at him, feeling content. Vivid woke up, and began to make gurgling noises. Rinoa laughed, and talked to her quietly. Squall wondered what would have happened, had they not gone to Deling City that night eight months ago. He wouldn't have Vivid, or be so in love with Rinoa as he was now. Feeling an overwhelming desire to show Rinoa how much he loved her, he pulled her and Vivid closer to him, and kissed Rinoa gently on the lips.   
  


Quistis watched them from a window in the orphanage. They made such a beautiful family. She sighed wistfully as she saw Squall pull Rinoa towards him and kiss her. Her long jet black hair flowing in the strong sea breeze, making them look like they were on the set of a romance film. She wished momentarily that she could have the love of Squall instead, feeling the familiar cold jealousy creeping over her. Instead she left the window and picked up the box of baby clothes she had found. 

They would suit Vivid perfectly. Quistis picked up a little woollen dress, and felt tears come into her eyes as the clothing brought back painful memories, She had never, ever told anyone about her own baby. The one she had lost. 

No-one had ever even suspected Quistis had been pregnant. After the one night stand she had had with the other instructor, she had realised she was pregnant. By then it was too late. There was nothing she could do about it. Not that there had been any other option in the first place, Quistis would never had agreed to abortion. The day she had gone to tell the headmaster, she had woken up soaked in blood, and in agony. She had miscarried. 

Quistis wiped her eyes and put down the dress. She wondered what her own child would have looked like now. She would have been almost two years old by now. Quistis was almost nineteen, and she had slept with the instructor when she was barely seventeen. He had taken advantage of her, she knew that, but she had been too scared to tell anyone. SeeD was her life. If she had been dismissed, then she would have no where else to go. 

She went back to the window, needing fresh air. She could now see the garden in the distance, and was happy to think that she would soon be in her home. 

Finally, she would be able to forget. She was over the worse now. It had given her peace to be able to safely deliver Rinoa's baby, and seeing Vivid made her happy. It put her mind at ease over what had happened to her own child. 

She smiled as she saw the couple embracing on the beach. They were perfect for each other. She really was happy for them. She hoped that one day, she would find her own man, who would love her as much as Squall loved Rinoa. Then she truly would have peace.   
  


The End (finally!)   
  


What do you think?????????? Was it good? Was it utter rubbish?????? Urgh...I never usually write mush stuff like this...maybe I'll revise it and stick an NC-17 rating on it. Hehehe....   
  



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